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Gore says Obama will spread hope

DENVER, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Barack Obama is the right candidate to help America transition into a new era, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore told the Democratic faithful in Denver.

As President Abraham Lincoln was the right candidate to lead America through a painful period in the 1800s, "once again we have a candidate whose experience perfectly matches this transition," Gore said Thursday, the final day of the Democratic National Convention.

"The question, simply put, is will we seize the opportunity for a change?" the Nobel Peace Prize laureate asked the crowd at Invesco Field at Mile High.

Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain offers the same policies of President George W. Bush, Gore said.

"I believe in recycling," he said, "but this is ridiculous."

Democratic presidential nominee Obama "is telling us exactly what he will do" regarding the economy, the role of government, healthcare, national security and foreign policy, Gore said.

"Why is the election so close? It's close today because the forces of the status quo are desperately afraid of the change that Barack Obama represents."

Gore referred in closing to the proverb, "When you pray, move your feet."

"And then let us leave here tonight and take that message of hope from Denver," he said, "and do everything we can to serve our nation, our world, and our children and their future, by electing Barack Obama president of the United States of America."

Report: RNC mulls convention delay

DENVER, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Republican officials may postpone the GOP convention if Tropical Storm Gustav makes landfall along the Gulf Coast this weekend, Fox News Channel said Thursday.

McCain presidential campaign spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said contingency plans are in place and campaign spokesman Tucker Bounds said it was possible the convention, set to run Monday through Thursday in St. Paul, Minn., could be postponed, the report said.

"Senator McCain has always been sensitive to national crises -- in the 2000 race, he postponed his announcement because of the situation in the Balkans, and we are monitoring the situation very closely," Bounds said.

Karl Rove, President George W. Bush's former top political adviser and an informal adviser to the McCain campaign, said it was still an open question whether Bush would travel to St. Paul, where he is to speak at the convention Monday.

The Republican Party is aware it could appear to be insensitive to hurricane victims, given public reaction to the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina three years ago, the report said.

"The Republicans can't seem to get a break when it comes to August and when it comes to the weather," said Rove who is also a Fox News analyst.

Gustav was approaching hurricane strength when it washed and blew onto eastern Jamaica Thursday. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency Wednesday.

Near hurricane status, Gustav hits Jamaica

MIAMI, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Near-hurricane strength Tropical Storm Gustav washed and blew onto eastern Jamaica Thursday afternoon, U.S. forecasters in Miami said.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 5 p.m., Gustav was about 15 miles east-northeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 310 miles east-southeast of Grand Cayman. A hurricane watch was in effect for all of the Cayman Islands.

"Gustav could become a hurricane at any time," the report said.

Sustained winds were 70 mph, just below the hurricane threshold of 74 mph, and winds extended 60 miles from the center.

Forecasters warned of coastal storm surge flooding of 1 to 3 feet above normal tide levels and as much as 12 inches of rain for Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

Forecasters said the storm would likely regain hurricane status as it moved over warm waters toward the west at 5 mph Thursday afternoon.

While Gustav's ultimate path wasn't certain, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency Wednesday and mobilized 3,000 National Guard troops, The Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans reported.

In Washington Thursday, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told a news conference President George Bush was "involved, engaged and getting briefings and working to make sure that the federal assistance is there."

Miss. governor declares Gustav emergency

JACKSON, Miss., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Gov. Haley Barbour declared a state of emergency Thursday in southern Mississippi as Tropical Storm Gustav headed for the Gulf Coast.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said its emergency management center would remain open around the clock, beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, the Jackson Clarion-Ledger reported.

Gustav is expected to hit the Gulf Coast early Tuesday as a Category 3 hurricane. The storm was headed for Jamaica late Thursday.

Barbour urged Mississippi residents to "take this storm seriously," telling them "now is the time to prepare yourself, your family and your friends."

"One of the most important lessons we learned after Hurricane Katrina was that there is no substitute for awareness and self-help, especially in the days before a hurricane is predicted to hit," he said.

About 2,800 emergency trailers are still serving as homes for victims of Hurricane Katrina, which struck three years ago. They must be evacuated before Gustav arrives.

Court upholds Mexico City abortion law

MEXICO CITY, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The Mexican Supreme Court has upheld a law permitting abortion in Mexico City, El Universal newspaper reported online Thursday.

The decision was considered a landmark in the largely Roman Catholic country where many doctors refuse to perform the procedure.

Conservative lawmakers spoke out against the decision and said they would work to prevent the rest of Mexico from adopting similar legislation.